Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

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  Great Vehicle - 2014 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Alfred Jenk - October 9 - 8:53 pm

  Make sure all factory items come with the car.

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  So-So Feelings - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Doug - October 9 - 9:05 am

  I have an 07 SS Coupe. I drive a lot. My gas mileage has been less then desirable with getting at the most 27mpg highway. I have 42k on it now and at 40,500 I had to have my transmission replaced. Thank goodness for extended warranties or it would have cost a fortune. Styling is great. I get a lot of looks from people because the car looks hot in black. Tires are expensive to replace and the SS is so low to the ground it doesnt clear most speed bumps without scraping. Unless you get a great deal on this car, I would think twice.

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  Too Cavalier - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Bill T - October 8 - 10:16 pm

  The 2007 Cobalt LS 2 door in some ways is a stylish car, but, from looking at the front and sides, looks too much like a re-vamped Cavalier. I expected more from this car than it delivered. Gas mileage on the 2.2 automatic is terrible for a 4 cylinder, eats far more gas than a Nissan Altima 2.5 4 banger, and isnt half as fast, in fact, its sluggish by comparrison. Comfort is basic, behind the times, needs better standard sound system w/ larger standard sized tires/ wheels. Vehicle is noisy inside passenger cabin, and exterior paint job inferior, marks/ chips easily. Many blind spots when parking, observing on- coming traffic from behind, and passing. Its a re-vamped Cavalier.

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  Poor Minivan choice - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By G - October 8 - 8:16 pm

  05 Venture 106,000 miles. Ive owned minivans for the last 14 years and this is by far the worst in many aspects. I start with the poor suspension design. It requires lots of maintenance, constantly replacing sway bar components, ball joints, shocks, rear spring actually broke during driving. And it still doesnt drive as comfortable or responsive as my 2003 Chrysler town and country. The transmission is always in need of attention. Work done to trans as follows. Servo bores, solenoid, fluid, filter,magnet in pan, you name it, its been done. Engine is poorly designed. Spark plug wires arc of engine due to, who knows, dealer doesnt. Bad ground, poor design. Causes lack of power when you really need it. Merging on freeway etc. The interior is falling apart. Door handle cover constantly pops off. It is the glove box now. Door closes and it rattles everything inside the door. Ceiling vents fall on passengers heads as we hit any kind of bumbThe interior rattles from many different sources. Dash is cracked. Leather vinyl seats rub on lower seat trim cover and makes all kinds of funny noices. The rear park sensors stopped working years ago. Key fobs are glitchy for lock and unlock. If the MAF sensor or IAC isnt in tip top shape car wont start. Wont throw an engine code either, so if your not aware of this problem. Get ready to start throwing money and parts at it. Too bad because I replaced my 2004 Chevy venture after it was totaled with 180,000. I drive to Disney world every year and for the past 4 years I havent trusted this thing and take my 03 Chrysler Van that has about 150,000 over this thing. It rides way better as well. Just not as good looking in my opinion.

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  Very Nice! - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Josh - October 8 - 11:40 am

  Way to go Chevy! I have been a die hard Chevy fan for years and this car is great! Very comfortable and is fun to drive. The 3.1L V6 provides amazing low end torque and can get you up and going with ease. As for fuel economy, I get 28-30mph on the highway and anywhere from 25-27 in the city when babied! Interior is comfortable and everything is easy to access. Way to go!

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  2010 tahoe hybrid - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid
  By Tom - October 8 - 5:33 am

  i trade a H2 Hummer in for the tahoe, it great on mileage u get what the say. The oem tires are terrible they slide on dry payment, and even worse in the rain, i havent even drove in the snow yet, so i went out that week and replace them with a goodyear fortera big difference. The brakes have a litte to be desired. The thing i hate the most is no spare tire or jack, carzy

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  Very Disappointed in the Fuel Mileage - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Joyce - October 7 - 6:00 pm

  I have owned 3 Suburbans and still have two of them. The choice to go to a car for fuel mileage brought me to the Impala. It was still a good sized car that was suppose to get 27 mpg and had pretty good safety rating. The mileage has been a huge disappointment. I tell everyone that asks that Chevy states they have all these cars that get 30 mpg but dont believe it. Our local dealer first blamed by tire pressure (it was 1 lb low). Then all they can say is the test were done in a wind tunnel and not in real conditions. I have wrote Chevy and no response. Thats customer service. Not sure I will every by Chevy again.

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  One of the best cars Ive had - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By souprdog - October 7 - 5:55 pm

  Ive had this car for about 2 months now and I think the Cobalt SS (5 speed) is very under-rated among the other cars in its class and price range. With a stock engine pushing 205hp the car is very reliable. The day after I bought the Cobalt I drove 1100 just stoping to fill up for gas. In a month I put over 2000 miles on the car. Ihe interior is average for the size of the car. It does have a pretty big trunk. Also the factory Pioneer audio system with the sub was a very nice touch. The only problem that I had with the car was if you pump octane 83 gas on it (like I did) and drive for about 7-8 hrs the car will feel shaky like its not getting enough fuel so I stick with pumping it with 91 octane

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  I will NEVER buy another Chevy - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Nikki - October 7 - 2:38 pm

  I purchased my Malibu 14 months ago. 6 cylinder, looked sporty and was roomy. I loved it for one whole month, and then it started to fall apart. In the last year, I have dealt with and replaced the following: power steering module twice, entire steering column, slip joint, lower control arm, tie rod, all four rotors and brake pads. The horn fuse lasts about 1 week before it blows out, and there is a short in the electrical system, and because of it I have replaced all turn signals and head/brake lamps in the last year. And the sun roof pours water into the back seat, and every drop shows on the cheap material. I am looking for a new car, and I will never ever buy another Chevy.

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  I love my car - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By CNAonthemove - October 7 - 11:50 am

  I drive about 300 miles per week to get to work in very heavy snow and everthing else. It handles very well in the snow. I would not trade my car in only for the newer one.